Page 64 of Downfall

With that, he slams the door in my face.

It’s funny, the things your brain chooses to latch onto, like the fact that I was bleeding as I stood there at his door trying to make sense of his words. Not metaphorically. I was literally still bleeding from the night before. Or that when he pushed the sweatshirt into my chest, I was in so much shock that I didn’t reach out to grab it. When he shut the door, I had to make the conscious decision to bend down and pick it up, like I was a hungry animal who had just been thrown a scrap of food.

I glance at Ash, whose face is tight with fury. I haven’t told anyone what happened that day until now. When I ran to Ashton right after, he held me as I cried, but he didn’t push anything. Now I know I did the right thing. Based on his anger now, their friendship never would have survived back then.

“Ash. It was six years ago.”

“I don’t care. I’m gonna fucking kill him.” He stands from his chair as if he’s about to go do it right now.

“Ashton, listen to me.” His furious gaze flicks back to mine. “He had his reasons. Whether or not they were valid…he was protecting me.”

“That’s bullshit.”

“Is it?” I croak.

“Do you still have that sweatshirt?”

“Yeah, why⁠—”

“Because I’m going to light it on fire and throw it at his fucking house, that’s why.” He starts pacing, looking under file folders and opening cabinets as if it’s going to materialize right here in my office.

“You realize I live there too, right?”

He turns around, slapping a hand on his forehead. “Shit.”

“Ashton.”

“Why, Skylar? I get you guys got caught up and the whole marriage thing happened, but why aren’t you pursuing an annulment?”

At this point, I’m in too deep. I might as well come clean about everything, so I do. I tell him about my stepdad and the surgery, about my meeting with my dad’s lawyer, and the marriage stipulation in my trust. All of it. He sits and listens, nodding at times, frowning at others. When I’m finally done, his anger has softened, and now he just looks sad.

“I’m so sorry, Skylar. I can help. If you need money, I can get together⁠—”

“No. This is why I didn’t want to tell you at first. I need to do this on my own. I know it’s not technically ethical or whatever, but he shouldn’t have tied my worth to marriage.”

Ashton nods in understanding. “You’re worth everything, you know that?”

I do that blush thing I do whenever someone compliments me. “I do now.”

Ash releases a long, drawn-out breath. “It’s all been fake? This whole time?”

“Yes. Well, yes.”

Ashton’s right eyebrow shoots up.

“Sort of? It was for a bit and then…”

“You slept with him again,” he finishes for me.

“Not exactly, but we have been… intimate.”

He crosses over to the doorway. “I think I’ve heard enough for today.” He shakes his head as if trying to loosen the thought from his brain. “Thanks for talking to me, Skylar. I mean it. I know it must have been hard to dredge all that up.” He looks at the door, then back at me. “I’m still going to kick his ass.”

“I’m sure you will. Hey, Ash?”

He turns around. “Yeah?”

“Was Declan with a lot of women? You know, in college and after?”